# Questions for building an enclosure **URL:** \ **Category:** LulzBot TAZ\ **Created:** [June 20, 2016, 12:44pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/questions-for-building-an-enclosure/3620 "2016-06-20T12:44:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 3
**Author:** ![paulmorley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8dc957/32.png) [@paulmorley](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/paulmorley)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 10:33pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/questions-for-building-an-enclosure/3620/3 "2016-06-23T22:33:46Z")
> [@nim](#): > > - Is it safe to have the filament spools on the inside of the enclosure? I’ve heard some things about this causing PLA to become brittle due to its low glass transition temperature, but I print in PETG, ABS, NinjaFlex and Nylon (never PLA), all of which have higher GT temps, so would it be safe to do this with these filaments? I’ve never read definitive info that says you can’t. Are you concerned with the look of having the spool on the outside or trying to figure out how to get guide it into the box? This is my solution using JonathanB’s stupendous design. [https://grabcad.com/library/hotbox-diy-enclosure-for-3d-printing-1](https://grabcad.com/library/hotbox-diy-enclosure-for-3d-printing-1) I actually much prefer having the filament drop straight down into the extruder and i’ve tried many different options. And here’s the great thread in this forum. [HOT BOX 3DP ENCLOSURE SYSTEM (For Taz)](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/hot-box-3dp-enclosure-system-for-taz/1283/1) It’s a must read. ![IMG_3403.JPG](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/lulzbot/original/2X/2/20d561704ddeceb1bab68ed44c624e4aee2a6340.jpeg) ![IMG_3405.JPG](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/lulzbot/original/2X/8/8248245e23c8b994031af52694193d4f4fadf8e4.jpeg) ![IMG_3404.JPG](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/lulzbot/original/2X/1/1da2f3a27211977958709191a97c1dd04df3a398.jpeg) > [@nim](#): > > - The power supply will obviously be going outside, and the control box needs an air intake to keep it cool. Is an air intake alone enough or is it also necessary to have an exhaust vent somewhere to keep temps in the whole enclosure down? I’ve printed for 7 months with only an intake for the control box and even though i built the intake and the exhaust ports from Jonathan’s design, i’ve never actually wired up the fans and used them. In other words, it’s definitely never been too hot in the box. I print majority in ABS but when i print with PLA i just leave the door cracked so it doesn’t get so hot. > [@nim](#): > > - In addition to this, would the intake/exhaust work with filters to clean the air, allowing no harmful fumes/particles to exit, or would this reduce the airflow too much? A filter would be just fine to use as long as it didn’t restrict the airflow so much that it caused stress on the fan. You’d have to be the judge of that. > [@nim](#): > > - Is there some kind of smart way to let cables enter the box without them leaving an “open” hole in it? I want this thing to be as air tight as possible so I can filter the air. It’s hard to explain but i actually bring my cables in from the floor of my enclosure. The base of mine is a bit bigger than the file cabinet i have it sitting on and i’m just exploiting the fact that heat rises and won’t escape from the opening in the bottom. Never caused me a problem. But there are also a lot of these types of brushed openings you can get as well to keep the heat in and make an easy way to pass cables through. [brushed grommet - Google Search](https://www.google.com/search?q=brushed+grommet&espv=2&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi6ivivmb_NAhXIMSYKHXjkAqAQ_AUICSgC&biw=1769&bih=1207) Good luck. --- _[View the full topic](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/questions-for-building-an-enclosure/3620)._